Thread: Alonso on Shumi next season*

Cant wait for 2011 Season to begin!

"He had a difficult season but he is still a Champion. He is still super class and if the car is right he will be a contender."

Fernando Alonso believes Michael Schumacher and not World Champion Sebastian Vettel could be his "most dangerous" threat in 2011.

Schumacher, who returned to F1 last season after three years away from the sport, had a trying first season with Mercedes GP, fighting for points instead of podiums.

However, Alonso, who put an end to Schumacher's five-year run of Drivers' Championship titles in 2005, reckons the German could be his biggest threat in this year's title race.

"There will be five World Champions on the track and the most dangerous Champion for me is always Michael," Alonso said.

"Now in January if I have to choose one name I have to say Michael. He is seven-time Champion, he has nothing to prove.

"He had a difficult season but he is still a Champion. He is still super class and if the car is right he will be a contender."

Schumacher, though, won't be Alonso's only worry as the Spaniard feels Vettel's title triumph last year should make him even stronger this season.

"No doubt Sebastian will be a contender. He will have experience and will be calm in certain moments. He will drive better than last year and that makes him dangerous to us.

"McLaren will also be one of the favourites. Hopefully (though) our car is better than the others and my toughest rival this year is Felipe (Massa - my team-mate)."

The double World Champion refused to dwell on last year's lost title, which saw him pipped to the crown by Vettel in the season finale in Abu Dhabi after a strategic error from Ferrari.

"With regards to Abu Dhabi, you win and you lose together, in that moment we believed (the pit-stop) to be the right choice but now I don't want to think about it any more.

"To spend one more minute thinking about it would be an advantage for our opponents," he added.

And Alonso repeated team principal Stefano Domenicali's assertion on Wednesday that the team is aiming to take a step up this season.

"Our objective is to fight for two titles, the Drivers' and Constructors'," he said.

"It would be great to repeat what we did during the last season and to try to win the World title."

FULL ARTICLE HERE

I believe the next mercedes will be built to fulfill Shumi's needs more than Rosberg's

Also I think there will be more than 5 battling it out for the title next season

Everyone is out for blood now. It's going to be a much more heated season than 2010, that's for sure. Can't wait!

It's gonna be an amazing season, that's for sure.

I have a huge bias towards Schumi, Vettel and Rosberg. Probably has nothing to do with my dutch land love but yes Schumi will set some tarmac on fire this year.

2011 Should be another great year. I can't wait!

I agree with Alonso's statement... Vettel is a good driver, but Schumi is truly going to be one to watch. I think he suffered a lot last year with just getting back into the sport, and I think this year could be a very strong swing around for him. I'm an RBR fan and hoping that Webber will do well this season... can't wait! Interested to see how the new India GP is going to turn out.

Just look at Schumacher's times in the tire testing, he's going to be MUCH better off this upcoming season than last with the tire situation, new car, that first comeback year past, etc. People bash him for not being the Schumacher we all knew but it was completely different than what he was use to. He will be back and back STRONG.